UBP & Spanish VAT (for UK residents)

Hello!

This is probably mainly applicable to people from the UK and is about the Spanish VAT.

The UBP is priced at $54 a day and it says 18% gratuities will be added. Also for any cruises to Spain an additional Spanish VAT will be added. However when I go to book online my basket only adds the 18% gratuities. No VAT.

Now I read somewhere on an old thread from years ago that for people living in the UK it may be best to pre-book everything at home, as the UK have agreed not to add the Spanish VAT . Does this sound right?

This being correct (and I’m thinking aloud here) , if I didn’t get the UBP and instead pay for drinks as I go, each drink onboard would have 18% gratuities AND a further Spanish VAT (which I think is another 18%) added. So I’m thinking this makes even more sense to pre-book UBP before I go!!! :D

Any thoughts? I’ve emailed NCL but will be interested if anyone knows. I’m borderline whether to book the UBP and don’t want to think I’m getting the VAT excluded, only for it be added to my onboard account later on. :eek:

Thanks

Not sure, but I think that people who have cruised the Med have reported that the vat has been added on some occasions and others not!

The consensus has been that now the system has been sorted you don't pay it.

Even if you do get charged it's not a huge amount.

Hopefully someone who has been to the Med recently will be able to give you a more definite reply!

Thanks. It's all v confusing! Did med and canaries years ago and don't remember any of this then.

are you sailing on the Epic on its 7 day cruise which doesn't visit a non European port?

If so VAT will be charged throughout the cruise and yes I have heard conflicting reports whether is charged if pre paid

However the main reason IMO to pre pay is that it costs $54 per day done that way but $59 per day if you purchase on board

Thanks. It's all v confusing! Did med and canaries years ago and don't remember any of this then.

And of course, Canaries although part of Spain aren't in the EU. So you only get charged VAT on departure from Barcelona/Malaga for an hour or two. At least, that's what's meant to happen....allegedly.

It's all v confusing!

Indeed. That's why EU law states that if selling to consumers, the price on menus etc has to be shown inclusive of VAT. Does NCL comply with this? Errrrrrrrr, no. Do they have some kind of exemption........who knows!!!

This is the UK law......one would expect similar in other EU countries. http://www.businesscompanion.info/en/quick-guides/pricing-and-payment/displaying-prices-in-hotels-etc

One would expect this law to be applied on departures from the UK. Does NCL comply with this? Errrrrrrrr, no. Do they have some kind of exemption........who knows!!!

And of course, Canaries although part of Spain aren't in the EU.

As they are an integral part of Spain, Canary Islands are in EU - just not in the VAT area. (It's exactly the same as for example Åland in Finland.)

Wikipedia says this: "The Canary Islands are a Spanish archipelago off the African coast which forms one of the Spanish Autonomous Communities, thus having the status of being part of Spanish territory. They are outside the European Union Value Added Tax Area."

(Just for clarification: the whole country of Spain consists of 13 autonomous communities of which Canary Islands are one.)

The port that certainly solves the EU problem on Canary Island cruises is the Moroccan port.

The port that certainly solves the EU problem on Canary Island cruises is the Moroccan port.

It's not an EU problem but a VAT area problem. That is why the daily car ferries between Helsinki or Turku and Stockholm also call in Mariehamn (Åland) - to be able to sell tax free liquor.

So visiting Canary Islands alone would do the trick on those itineraries.

It's not an EU problem but a VAT area problem. That is why the daily car ferries between Helsinki or Turku and Stockholm also call in Mariehamn (Åland) - to be able to sell tax free liquor.

 

 

 

So visiting Canary Islands alone would do the trick on those itineraries.

Agreed. My only point is that there was debate about the Canary Islands, whereas the presence of an African country is much more clear cut.

It was quite some time ago I did Spain, Madeira & canaries and was with p&0 so maybe they had an exemption or it only applied while in Spain and I just didn't take notice! I'll probably book the UBP and hope they don't add any vat at a later date.

Surly if you pre-purchase the ubp you will not be paying for your drinks so you won`t` be charged vat on a bill with no charge . Does that make sense :confused:

You'd think so. It was just the website said they would charge gratuities and vat but the vat bit didn't appear at the checkout. Then I read it was not charged because I was buying in UK so wonder how US customers are treated.

I had a look in my NCL brochure (UK edition) and under the section "What Does My Cruise Fare Include?" it says "Please note that in order to comply with Spanish and Italian tax regulations we are required to charge Spanish/Italian VAT on applicable retail items purchased on board on cruises from/to Barcelona, Venice and Rome as well as on all other cruises whilst the ship is in Spanish or Italian waters"

This was on page 105 of my brochure but it may be different in yours.

I have purchased the Drinks Package in advance as I was told this was the way to avoid any extra surcharges. Found this to be good value on previous cruise on Epic as the surcharge on each drink if bought as you go along now incurs a massive 18%.

Looking forward to my Christmas cruise on Epic on 19th Dec when I will be meeting up with some other solo travellers that I met on Epic last June.

Good Luck with your plans.

Suzanne (in Bristol, UK)

I had a look in my NCL brochure (UK edition) and under the section "What Does My Cruise Fare Include?" it says "Please note that in order to comply with Spanish and Italian tax regulations we are required to charge Spanish/Italian VAT on applicable retail items purchased on board on cruises from/to Barcelona, Venice and Rome as well as on all other cruises whilst the ship is in Spanish or Italian waters"

 

This was on page 105 of my brochure but it may be different in yours.

 

I have purchased the Drinks Package in advance as I was told this was the way to avoid any extra surcharges. Found this to be good value on previous cruise on Epic as the surcharge on each drink if bought as you go along now incurs a massive 18%.

 

Looking forward to my Christmas cruise on Epic on 19th Dec when I will be meeting up with some other solo travellers that I met on Epic last June.

 

Good Luck with your plans.

 

Suzanne (in Bristol, UK)

This has nothing to do with VAT - it is the gratuity for the bartender/waiter. Any VAT would be over and above that 18%:eek:.

Thanks Suzanne. Will pre-purchase and avoid the Spanish VAT (which I understand is also 18% which is why people get confused between this and the gratutities).

I can't wait. I go in October and will be my first NCL cruise and first cruise on my own. I'm looking forward to trying out all their cocktails (which is why I've got a good excuse for buying the UBP now :D)

Hi all

We sailed on the Spirit´s Canaries and Morocco 10 day Christmas and New Year Cruise last/this year.

We are actually Spanish residents but booked though NCL.Co.Uk and pre paid both D.S.C. the drinks package, so everything paid three months before we sailed.

Our bill at the end of the cruise included tax for drinks taken (not purchased as these were pre paid) in both Malaga and Barcelona. We were a bit miffed with this, and said we would take it up with NCL U.K. on our return. However, as it was less than 10 pounds sterling and we had a FABULOUS cruise we decided not to bother.

So in answer the O.P. yes ,even if you purchase and pay for the UBP in advance, you still pay for tax on drinks ordered in Spanish ports and waters.

Denise

Our bill at the end of the cruise included tax for drinks taken (not purchased as these were pre paid) in both Malaga and Barcelona. […]

So in answer the O.P. yes ,even if you purchase and pay for the UBP in advance, you still pay for tax on drinks ordered in Spanish ports and waters.

Anyway, the rules will be exactly the same for UK residents, other Europeans, and non-Europeans, since the drinks are served and consumed onboard and not taken out of the EU.

UBP Was on the Spirit in feb and 10% vat was added to our onboard acount when docked in Barcelona and Malaga.

last month, same ship 10% was added to the onboard account until 11.30 pm (7pm sailing) at Barcelona.

So dont buy items onboard until then.

both cruises visited one + non eu port

hope it helps j

Our bill at the end of the cruise included tax for drinks taken (not purchased as these were pre paid) in both Malaga and Barcelona. We were a bit miffed with this, and said we would take it up with NCL U.K. on our return. However, as it was less than 10 pounds sterling and we had a FABULOUS cruise we decided not to bother.

So in answer the O.P. yes ,even if you purchase and pay for the UBP in advance, you still pay for tax on drinks ordered in Spanish ports and waters.

Denise

This was also our experience on the Spirit this past February, but passengers on more recent Mediterranean cruises have reported that this has now changed (see this thread, for example).

It sounds like NCL are making up VAT policy on the hoof. Odd, as I thought EU country governments made up VAT policy.

UBP Was on the Spirit in feb and 10% vat was added to our onboard acount when docked in Barcelona and Malaga.

last month, same ship 10% was added to the onboard account until 11.30 pm (7pm sailing) at Barcelona.

So dont buy items onboard until then.

 

both cruises visited one + non eu port

 

hope it helps j

If you had UBP, surely not for drinks? :confused::confused: Are you referring to trinkets and tat?

It sounds like NCL are making up VAT policy on the hoof. Odd, as I thought EU country governments made up VAT policy.

Don't think it is NCL. Just got off a 2 night cruise from Southampton to Hamburg with Cunard. We were charged 20% vat for gift shop items. We were told that after Hamburg there would be no vat. The ship was heading for the Baltic. I'm sure we didn't pay vat on drinks though. We are on the Epic in October so will find out then about the Spanish vat.

Had email confirmation from NCL that if I pre purchase UBP here I won't pay the Spanish VAT.

Got off the Epic about a month ago from 7 day Med cruise and had pre booked the UBP. No sign of any additional VAT at all!!

Got off the Epic about a month ago from 7 day Med cruise and had pre booked the UBP. No sign of any additional VAT at all!!

Just what I was hoping to hear Johnnylad67!!!

We have prepurchased UBP and we sail 3 weeks today and whilst there was no spanish vat on drink cost when we did the 3 nights in April we weren't certain if that was a blip as it was 1st cruise out of barcelona for the year!!

Roll on!!